We recently had the chance to connect with Tristan Kilmer and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tristan, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
When I was younger I felt a strong sense of direction and that pathway of where I needed to be seemed very clear. Overtime I’ve realized that it’s not always necessary to have your whole life mapped out like that. It’s less about marching straight ahead and more about moving with curiosity, taking in what’s around you, and seeing where it leads. Enjoy life for what every day brings and while it’s still fine to have a direction, it’s more about the journey there than the end goal.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a filmmaker and visualization artist who’s spent the last decade bringing stories to life across film, television, and games. I’ve worked on a variety of projects such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Electric State, and Detective Pikachu, with leadership roles on projects such as HBO’s The Last of Us and Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. I graduated from the California institute of the arts with a BFA in experimental animation and since have worked at studios like Warner Bros Interactive, Digital Domain, Halon, MPC, and Reel FX Animation. Outside the studio, I channel my love for technology and storytelling into creating short films that push new ways of experiencing entertainment.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that really shaped how I see the world was living through COVID back in 2020. It stripped away the sense of stability I’d always assumed was there and for the first time I realized just how fragile life is and how much can be taken for granted. Our routines, careers, and even relationships we’re all exposed. It was jarring to see the entire world slow down, but it also opened my eyes to how connected and vulnerable we all are to experiences beyond our control. In that space of uncertainty, I learned to appreciate the smaller things, to adapt quickly, and to value creativity as a way of staying grounded. It reminded me that nothing is guaranteed in this world and that’s both terrifying and freeing.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear that’s held me back the most is the fear of losing balance of not living life in a way that feels meaningful if it all ended tomorrow. That fear made me chase control, obsess over outcomes, and hesitate to take risks unless I thought they’d be perfect. But life doesn’t work that way. Things don’t always go right the first time, mistakes are inevitable, and sometimes entire plans fall apart. What I’ve come to realize is that none of that is the end of the world. What matters more is finding satisfaction in the present and in knowing you tried. Learning from what went wrong and in appreciating the moments along the way. That shift in perspective has helped me loosen my grip, accept imperfection, and live with more balance between ambition and contentment in life.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
I think the key to seeing between what is a fad and what is a real foundational shift in entertainment comes down to asking one key question: does this change how people create, consume, or connect with stories in the long run?
Fads often burn fast and bright, think of viral trends, flashy tech selling gimmicks, or one off styles that get hyped but fade when the novelty wears off. People will always get bored of the shiny new thing eventually.
Foundational shifts on the other hand tend to stick because they fundamentally reshape the way this industry operates. The rise of streaming most recently wasn’t just a trend. It redefined distribution, accessibility, and audience expectations worldwide.
Similarly the integration of virtual production and realtime visualization is more than a cool tool. It’s also transforming workflows, budgets, and the boundaries of imagination. It allows us to explore so much more of the sandbox of what’s possible to craft.
The test of time reveals the difference I think on that fads fade when attention moves on but foundational shifts continue evolving and expanding because they solve deeper needs in how we tell and experience stories.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing?
For me it would to be not fully living in a way that feels meaningful. Not taking chances, not exploring, not connecting deeply with people, or holding back because of fear or doubt.
It’s easy to get caught up in routines, it’s safe and predictable. But I’d regret never chasing the experiences that matter, never traveling enough, never trying something new, or never speaking up when it counts.
Life is unpredictable and the moments we don’t take are the ones we can’t get back. So I want to live boldly, learn constantly, and make memories I can carry, not regrets I can’t undo. Life is short, we should make the most of it.
